short story - immortal hero with a metal staff
I read this short story in the early 80s, probably in a collection or anthology of some sort. The hero is a very large but aging man, who wields a solid metal quarterstaff that he crushes his foes with.
At the start of the story I think he was beginning to show his age, but the mysterious beings he served renewed his immortality by commanding him to embrace a large metal sphere which very painfully rejuvenated him to a younger and stronger state. They had done this to him many times before.
My impression is that the setting was either prehistoric Earth (similar to Howard's Hyborean Age, or Clark Ashton Smith's Hyperborea) or a very far future Jack Vance Dying Earth-type place.
It seemed like this was an introductory story to a series, but I don't recall ever seeing the character again.
I've ruled out the first couple of Thieves' World books.
story-identification short-stories
edited 4 mins ago
Vanguard3000
4,22822146
asked 6 hours ago
LAKLAK
2,8711326
add a comment |
I read this short story in the early 80s, probably in a collection or anthology of some sort. The hero is a very large but aging man, who wields a solid metal quarterstaff that he crushes his foes with.
At the start of the story I think he was beginning to show his age, but the mysterious beings he served renewed his immortality by commanding him to embrace a large metal sphere which very painfully rejuvenated him to a younger and stronger state. They had done this to him many times before.
My impression is that the setting was either prehistoric Earth (similar to Howard's Hyborean Age, or Clark Ashton Smith's Hyperborea) or a very far future Jack Vance Dying Earth-type place.
It seemed like this was an introductory story to a series, but I don't recall ever seeing the character again.
I've ruled out the first couple of Thieves' World books.
story-identification short-stories
edited 4 mins ago
Vanguard3000
4,22822146
asked 6 hours ago
LAKLAK
2,8711326
add a comment |
I read this short story in the early 80s, probably in a collection or anthology of some sort. The hero is a very large but aging man, who wields a solid metal quarterstaff that he crushes his foes with.
At the start of the story I think he was beginning to show his age, but the mysterious beings he served renewed his immortality by commanding him to embrace a large metal sphere which very painfully rejuvenated him to a younger and stronger state. They had done this to him many times before.
My impression is that the setting was either prehistoric Earth (similar to Howard's Hyborean Age, or Clark Ashton Smith's Hyperborea) or a very far future Jack Vance Dying Earth-type place.
It seemed like this was an introductory story to a series, but I don't recall ever seeing the character again.
I've ruled out the first couple of Thieves' World books.
story-identification short-stories
edited 4 mins ago
Vanguard3000
4,22822146
asked 6 hours ago
LAKLAK
2,8711326
I read this short story in the early 80s, probably in a collection or anthology of some sort. The hero is a very large but aging man, who wields a solid metal quarterstaff that he crushes his foes with.
At the start of the story I think he was beginning to show his age, but the mysterious beings he served renewed his immortality by commanding him to embrace a large metal sphere which very painfully rejuvenated him to a younger and stronger state. They had done this to him many times before.
My impression is that the setting was either prehistoric Earth (similar to Howard's Hyborean Age, or Clark Ashton Smith's Hyperborea) or a very far future Jack Vance Dying Earth-type place.
It seemed like this was an introductory story to a series, but I don't recall ever seeing the character again.
I've ruled out the first couple of Thieves' World books.
story-identification short-stories
story-identification short-stories
edited 4 mins ago
Vanguard3000
4,22822146
asked 6 hours ago
LAKLAK
2,8711326
edited 4 mins ago
Vanguard3000
4,22822146
asked 6 hours ago
LAKLAK
2,8711326
edited 4 mins ago
Vanguard3000
4,22822146
edited 4 mins ago
Vanguard3000
4,22822146
edited 4 mins ago
Vanguard3000
4,22822146
4,22822146
asked 6 hours ago
LAKLAK
2,8711326
asked 6 hours ago
LAKLAK
2,8711326
asked 6 hours ago
LAKLAK
2,8711326
2,8711326
add a comment |
add a comment |
0
active
oldest
votes
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "186"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fscifi.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f207153%2fshort-story-immortal-hero-with-a-metal-staff%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
0
active
oldest
votes
0
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Thanks for contributing an answer to Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fscifi.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f207153%2fshort-story-immortal-hero-with-a-metal-staff%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
